Courage. Camp is a community unlike any other. Together in an unfamiliar setting, girls find the courage within themselves to meet new people, make friends, and bond. As they make choices and direct projects, girls learn to work well with others, become self-reliant, and develop their leadership skills.

Confidence. For many girls, camp is their first experience away from parents, away from home, and away from familiarity. Camp thus has unlimited potential to unlock or boost a girl’s confidence.

Character. Camp is the ultimate character-building experience. It is a safe place for girls to learn individual responsibility, as they’re empowered to take care of themselves. Though camp counselors certainly provide structure, guidance, and supervision, a girl camper is responsible for waking herself and readying herself for the day, making her bed, being on time to activities, and assuming responsibility for personal belongings, often for the very first time.

Read more about the importance of camp in the Girl Scout Research Institute's newly published study More than S'mores.